101 Fundraising Auction Donations Sources
101 Fundraising Auction Donations Sources
An extensive list of sources for fundraising auction donations from companies with links to online donation request information for each business. These fundraising auction donation sources provide items ranging from $25 gift cards all the way up to cruise ship vacations. This list will save you hours of time compared to finding all these fundraising auction item sources on your own. When requesting items for your charity auction, be prepared to provide your non-profit 501(c)(3) number and request item donations at least six weeks ahead of time. Many companies limit their donations in various ways, so it’s best to apply as early as possible.
Always remember that when requesting any kind of donation, you should always explain what’s in it for them. For the company, this would mean explaining the publicity & promotional opportunities their donation provides, the demographics of your event, estimated attendance, amount raised in previous years, and how the funds raised will be used.
Fundraiser Source List
Donations From Pro Sports Teams
Major League Baseball (MLB) – Select your local team, click on “Community” tab, then select “Fundraising & Giving”, then select “In-Kind Donation Requests”.
National Basketball Association (NBA) – Select your local team, click on “Community” tab, then click on “Donation Requests”.
National Football League (NFL) – Pick your team from the logo list across the top, then click on the “Community” tab, then click on “Donations”, then select “Merchandise”.
National Hockey League (NHL) – Select your hockey team, click on “Community” tab, then click on “Donations”.
Fundraising Note: Most pro sports teams also provide non-profit groups some nice fundraising opportunities on game days through working the concession stands or by serving as vendor salespeople in the stands.
Donations from Airlines
AirTran -Donation request link. AirTran certificates are valid only on AirTran-operated flights (not Southwest flights).
JetBlue – JetBlue proudly supports non-profit organizations in the cities that we serve.
Hawaiian Airlines – Send raffle prize or auction donation request via US mail or fax.
KLM Airways – KLM sponsors projects which are related to art & culture, environment and education.
Southwest Airlines – Very narrow charity focus. No schools. See list of qualifying organizations.
US AIR – Limited to non-profit groups in or around their hub cities of Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix, or Washington D.C.
Donations From Grocery Stores & Convenience Stores
Albertsons – Focuses primarily on hunger relief, youth & education, and organizations with whom they have established partnerships.
Casey’s General Store – Provides food, coupons or gift certificates. Supports non-profit groups in communities where they have stores (14 states).
Kroger -Assists local non-profit organizations, schools and churches working in their focus areas.
Publix – Focus areas: youth, education – specifically literacy, and the plight of the homeless and hungry. All requests for donations, gift cards, sponsorships, and program ads must be submitted on the letterhead of your non-profit, tax-exempt organization, and if you are a 501(c)(3) organization, please include a copy of your “letter of determination” from the IRS.
Stop & Shop – Focus areas: Healthy living, hunger relief, and kids (K-12).
SuperValu – Focuses on communities with their stores, hunger relief, health, environment.
Whole Foods – Focuses on communities with their stores, hunger relief, and holds 5% Days to support local nonprofit or educational organizations.
Winn Dixie – Sponsorships proposals for a neighborhood event, program, venue, youth athletic team or club can be submitted online or to your local Winn-Dixie store director for consideration. Written requests for store gift card donations should be sent to your local Winn-Dixie store director.
Donations From Retail Clothing Stores
American Eagle – Donates a limited number of $25 gift cards to high school and college sponsored events.
DICK’S Sporting Goods – DICK’S Sporting Goods Community Program supports thousands of youth sports and outdoor recreation organizations in communities surrounding our stores.
Gander Mountain – Supports non-profit organizations in communities where it does business. Written requests only.
J. Crew -Please direct all charitable inquiries to charitabledonations@jcrew.com. We always try our best to support good causes when we can but due to the volume of requests we receive, we cannot accommodate all of them.
Macy’s & Bloomingdales – Offers the My Macy‘s District Grants Program and the My Macy‘s District Event Sponsorships Program.
L.L. Bean – Focuses on Conservation/Outdoor Recreation, Health & Human Services, Culture & Arts (Maine only), and Education (Maine only).
Lands End – Please send all questions or comments regarding donations or sponsorships to donate@landsend.com.
Sears/KMART – Our community support is focused on four areas: health, military, homes and education.
Donations From Toy Companies
American Girl – Focuses on assisting fundraisers benefiting children 12 and under.
Build A Bear – Donation priority given to schools and 501(c)(3) charities that help children, families and animals.
Donations From Restaurant Chains
Applebees -North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Applebees – For restaurants in California.
Ben & Jerry’s – Provides several printable coupons good for a free pint of ice cream for your event (schools and non-profits).
Benihana -Provides a restaurant gift certificate to a limited number of non-profit organizations.
Cheesecake Factory – Provides $25 gift cards to schools and non-profit organizations. Send your donation request letter to the attention of the General Manager at the restaurant closest to you.
Cracker Barrel – Donates gift cards to nonprofit groups for fundraising purposes. They have a list of criteria your request letter must include, then mail or drop off the request at your local Cracker Barrel.
Landry’s Inc – Donates a $25 gift card to 501c(3) charities that benefit the local communities of our restaurants. Own’s 40 different restaurant chains with 450 locations including Landry’s Seafood, Chart House, Saltgrass Steak House, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Claim Jumper, Morton’s Steakhouse, McCormick & Schmick’s, Mastro’s Restaurants and the Rainforest Cafe.
Olive Garden – Donates to charitable causes that benefit the community. Donation requests can be submitted in writing to the general manager of your local Olive Garden.
Panera Bread – Regularly makes in-kind donations to local community events and fundraisers.
Paradise Bakery & Café – $100 gift certificate for a dozen cookies per month for a year (AZ, CO, IN, MA, NE, TX, UT only).
P. F. Chang’s – Supports charitable organizations in our restaurants’ local communities. Contact the Operating Partner or any manager at your local P.F. Chang’s to inquire about charitable giving availability.
Starbucks – Has several different community service offerings.
Tim Horton’s – Canada only. Offers donated products for charity events in communities where they operate.
Donations From Retailers
Barnes & Noble – Supports K-12 schools and not-for-profit arts and literacy organizations in the communities they serve.
BJ’s Wholesale Club – Offers an in-kind donation of product(s) or gift cards to non-profit groups in communities they serve.
Black & Decker – Uses SponsorWise for submission of non-profit donation requests and sponsorship requests.
Books A Million – Donates books, games, or puzzles to support local schools, churches, organizations and charities in the communities they serve.
Brooks Brothers – Supports local non-profit organizations within the communities they serve.
Canvas On Demand – Donates a $100 gift certificate for fundraising auctions to 1,000 non-profit organizations each year.
Costco – Supports local non-profit groups with donated items in $25 to $50 range. Fill out form and take to your local store.
Home Depot – Local 501(c)(3) organizations should ask their store manager for a $25 off coupon.
JoAnn Fabrics – Donation requests from local non-profits focused on heart health, kid’s health, arts and education.
Michaels – Supports 501(c)(3) organizations with a strong focus on families and children. Submit by email.
Minted.com – Supports non-profit organizations with gift certificates.
QVC – Submit your donation request by either mail or email.
REI – Supports some local nonprofit partners that focus on both environmental conservation and promoting active volunteerism.
Saks – Supports local nonprofits in the communities where they operate that focus on arts & culture, community outreach, education, health, diversity, and youth mentoring.
Sports Authority – Supports only 501(c)(3) organizations promoting health and fitness through sports activities. Submit donation request to donations@sportsauthority.com
Staples – Donates $25 We Care gift cards through store managers to local non-profit groups focused on education or job skills.
Total Wine -Donates auction items, raffle items, and wine discounts to local non-profit groups.
Walgreens – Local non-profit groups requesting auction items, merchandise or gift cards (not exceeding $20) should contact their Walgreen district office directly.
Product Donations
Benchmade Knives – Apply by mail for a product donation for your non-profit fundraising event.
Green Mountain Coffee – Donates coffee samples or Keurig coffee cartridges to schools and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations for fundraisers.
Karen Foster Design – (Scrapbooking) – Donations are limited to one donation per 501(c)(3) organization per calendar year and only for events with 100+ participants.
Nike – Nike product donation request form.
Otter Box – Product donation request form for non-profits, schools, police, and fire departments only.
Pental – 401(c)(3) organizations may request a donation if their focus is education, arts, or health and human services.
Pink Calyx – Provides $50 Gift certificates for Facebook Likes. Any non-profit can like their FB page and receive an instant, printable $50 gift certificate.
Portrait Innovations – Schools and non-profit groups may email gift certificate donation requests to requests@portraitinnovations.com
Redbox – Fulfills 100 requests per month (provides 25 free movie rental coupon codes). UPDATE: Redbox no longer offers these donations.
Stampin Up – Nonprofits send donation request with organization details, contact info, address, and how donation will be used to demos@stampinup.com
Tiny Prints – Schools and non-profit groups may request donations of $25 gift cards (sponsorship@tinyprints.com)
Think Fun – Fill out their donation request document and then submit by email.
Donations From Attractions
Disney – Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits and public schools may submit donation requests for a standard gift of four (4) one-day Park Hopper® tickets to be used for fundraising purposes.
Sea World | Busch Gardens -Contact info for each theme park location to request tickets for fundraising.
Six Flags – Donates two park passes to non-profit groups for fundraising. Request by mail only.
Triple Play Family Fun Park – Supports local non-profits in Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Montana.
Donations From Hotels
Best Western – Submit your donation request by email and be sure to provide the requested information.
Fairmont Hotels – Each hotel works with local non-profit groups in their community. See donation request directions on website.
Hilton Hotels – Hilton supports non-profit groups in the communities they serve.
Intercontinental Hotels – Supports local charities in three areas: environmental sustainability, creating local economic opportunity or providing disaster relief.
Marriott Hotels – Submit local non-profit charitable contribution requests through their online form.
Donations From Rental Car Companies
Budget Rent A Car – Offers car rental vouchers to non-profit groups. Concentrates their philanthropic efforts on national organizations that serve the needs of the communities in which they operate.
Enterprise Car Rental – Does not donate vehicles or rentals. Gives back to the communities where their customers and employees live and work.
Hertz – Focuses on the communities they serve. Donates vehicles, no-cost rentals, volunteers, and grants.
Donations From Cruise Lines
Carnival Cruise Lines – Focuses on arts & culture, community affairs, education, and health & human services. Request an in-kind donation and list how much your auction raised in previous years.
Hornblower Cruises – Hornblower supports all the communities it calls home, providing dollars and donations for local charities and non-profit groups.
Royal Caribbean – Focuses solely on non-profit groups serving children & families, education, and marine conservation.
Food and Beverage Donations
Dr Pepper/Snapple – Use their online form for donation requests and sponsorship requests
Emergen-C – Provides sponsorship donations for fun, active, and exciting events.
Hershey – Provides grants and product donations to non-profits supporting kids and kids at risk.
Jack Links Beef Jerky – Provides product donations such as gift baskets. Uses Sponsorwise system for all requests.
Nutiva – Uses email for product donation requests for fundraising events. Often donates a Superfood Sampler Pack.
Organic Valley Foods – charitable giving program includes grants, cash and food donations, literature and silent auction kits.
Every company has different policies on which groups they’ll support and how to submit your donation request. so use the links to get all the details. Some will let you use the donations for raffles and others prohibit using their donated item that way.
